Speechless
by LillyOfTheValley
Summary: What does it take for Hermione to become speechless? Finally COMPLETE For real this time
1. What Happened in the Hallway

Author's Note: I know this isn't my usual flavor, but I've been reading Hermione and Blaise lately and this idea popped into my head. So bear with me and try to enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters.

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Hermione Granger's morning had been hellish. Her alarm hadn't gone off that morning so she hadn't been able to beat Malfoy to the shared shower in their Heads' dorms. The water had been freezing when she got in. After her frigid shower she had been unable to get back on schedule. She had missed breakfast and was hurrying through the halls to her Transfiguration class that had already started when her shoulder clipped a corner and she went careening into someone. Her bag crashed to the floor, and only a pair of hands on her shoulders saved her from doing the same. Without even a glance at whoever had caught her, she slid to the floor with a groan. Quills and parchment were scattered all over the floor and her Transfiguration essay was completely ruined. She cleaned up the mess, muttering to herself all the while.

"I can't believe this. Could this day get any worse? Well the essay's just too far gone to pass. At least it's for McGonagall, she loves me." As she placed everything back in the bag and picked up the ink soaked essay she realized that the person she'd run into was still standing there. All six lean feet of Blaise Zabini was coolly leaning against the wall, all unruly hair and sexy smirking lips. His fathomless brown eyes were focused intently on her, and Hermione felt her knees go a little weak as he looked her up and down.

"Rough day Granger?" he asked, his low voice rolling over her.

"Well yes, I slept in and that prat Malfoy used all the hot water, then I missed breakfast and now I'm late for class and… what?" she asked as his lips quirked up into a smile.

"You're rambling Granger," Blaise told her.

"Oh, well, I tend to do that. My brain just starts working overtime and I can't really stop. It's just that I suppose I have so much to say, and it gets worse when I'm nervous."

Blaise pushed off from the wall and took a step closer. "Am I making you nervous?" he questioned.

"Well, you are a Slytherin, and your best friend despises me and my friends. That and the fact that you are kind of intimidating. But really, why should I be nervous. I've faced worse things than you! I mean, Harry Potter is my best friend! I shouldn't be afraid of you and… what are you doing?"

Blaise had moved a close to her as he could. Too shocked to mover, Hermione could only stand there as he took her in his arms and captured her lips with his.

"You taste like strawberries," he murmured absently as he pulled away.

"Why…?" Hermione asked quietly.

Blaise pulled at one of her curls. "Maybe because you look sexy when you ramble," he said with a smile. "Or maybe just to shut you up." She opened her mouth to say something but he cut her off with another kiss. "Have a nice day Granger," he said as he walked away.

Hermione was left standing there with her mouth hanging open. For once in her life she was completely and utterly speechless.


	2. Now It's His Turn

Author's Note: I originally intended for this story to be a one shot, but I just had to have the second side of the coin. Enjoy! Read and Review. Thanks! Btw, this was conceived before I read HBP, so take that into account.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters.

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Hermione Granger was thoroughly confused. She had no idea where Blaise's actions had come from, but she had a burning desire to figure it out. After a little digging she discovered that he spent every lunch period in the library, and after a mental pep talk for somewhere near ten minutes, Hermione gathered her courage and headed to the library.

Blaise knew she was coming. He heard her cheerful hello to the librarian and couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. He had known from the beginning that her scientific mind wouldn't just let his actions go. As she approached he raised his head to take in her chestnut curls and liquid amber eyes. He knew to appreciate a thing of beauty when he saw one.

"Granger, what a delight," he said smoothly as she took a seat across the small table.

"Zabini. I want to know what that was all about this morning," she said simply.

Blaise turned back to his book and feigned disinterest. "I told you Granger, either because you look sexy when you ramble, or because I wanted to shut you up. Maybe it was a little bit of both." He was startled when Hermione slammed her hand down on the table.

"That's not it and you know it! I want to know what possible reason you would have to dirty your hands with someone like me."

"I don't think I dirtied anything Granger, and if I did it certainly wasn't my hands," he said with a cheeky smirk.

"That's beside the point. I just want to know why you would kiss me like that. The real reason."

"I don't think I should tell you. I think I'll just let you keep on going. Maybe you'll start rambling again," he remarked, his voice low.

"You just indirectly answered my question didn't you?" She asked.

Blaise leaned a little closer. "Maybe I did Granger. Maybe you really knew the answer all along. I think maybe you did, and you're keen mind had some other idea coming here this afternoon. Maybe…"

Hermione cut him off. "Blaise, shut up." She leaned across the table and brushed her lips across his lightly. She went to pull away but he fisted a hand in her curls and pulled her back for a deeper kiss. She moved away from him a few seconds later with a grin on her face.

"You still taste like strawberries," he told her. "Now, do you want to tell me what that was all about?"

Hermione's grin grew to a thousand watt smile. "I'm sure you'll figure it out." She rose from the table and Blaise shook his head.

"Oh no, no, no. You come back here Granger."

Hermione turned back and blew him a kiss clearly enjoying the fact that the shoe was on the other foot. "Have a nice day Zabini."

Blaise watched as she walked away, noting the newly found confidence in her stride. If anyone had been around they would have heard him laughing to himself.

"This could be the beginning of a very fun game."


	3. This Little Game

Author's Note: I had intended to complete this story after the second chapter, but I figure what the hell, and I decided to write another chapter. So I hope you enjoy. And again I ask you to keep in mind that this whole thing was **conceived pre- Half Blood Prince**.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters.

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"Hermione, Blaise Zabini is staring at you rather intently. Have something to share with the class?" Ginny asked her friend. Hermione flushed slightly and turned to see dark brown eyes peering at her from behind a shock of dark hair.

"Nervous?" he mouthed to her. Hermione tried unsuccessfully to suppress a smile and turned back to her breakfast.

"And what, pray tell, was that all about?" asked Ginny. Hermione thought hard before answering. Ginny was her best girl friend, and it wasn't as if she could blurt something like this out to Harry and Ron. She was absolutely dying to share her experience with someone. The whole story spilled out.

"And then I just walked out," she finished breathlessly. The red head stared at her with wide eyes.

"Blaise Zabini kissed you, then you kissed him, and now you're flirting in the Great Hall at breakfast. Do you have any idea how lucky you are Hermione?"

"He is rather handsome isn't he?" Hermione stated more than asked.

"Gorgeous is more like it! And most of the girls at Hogwarts would murder to be in your position."

"I know," Hermione said with a sigh. "I feel so confident when I'm around him, like I'm a whole different person. But what about his loyalties? Do you think he's set to join up with you-know-who?"

Ginny shook her head. "I don't reckon so. From what I've heard all his mother does is collect husbands, but I suppose his father… But if he were, why would he have kissed you? Sorry."

"No I understand what you mean. So what should I do?"

Blaise watched the entire exchange from the Slytherin table. He knew exactly what Hermione was telling the youngest Weasley, and what they were now debating. He smiled to himself and decided he would have to find Granger later to continue their little game, and maybe set the record straight about a few things.

Hermione was still trying to decide what to do when Blaise beat her to the punch. She was walking down a relatively deserted corridor when someone grabbed her arm and pulled her into a deep alcove. She found herself face to face with none other than Blaise Zabini.

"Hello Granger, fancy meeting you here," he said with a smile.

"Oh yeah, fancy meeting you in the dark hole you pulled me into," she responded wryly.

"You think it's too dark? Well then, that can be fixed. _Lumos_." He muttered the simple spell and a little more light appeared. "Better?"

"Much. Now why exactly did you pull me in here?" Hermione asked.

Blaise's smile grew infinitely as he contemplated his answer. "To ravish you of course."

Hermione looked at him from beneath raised eyebrows and he laughed. "Ok, not to ravish you. I decided I wanted to continue our little game and find out why you kissed me."

Hermione gave him a rather evil smirk. "Well, either because you looked sexy when you were rambling on, or because I just really wanted you to shut up."

"Ouch, that's not playing fair."

"You started it Zabini."

Blaise winced. "Let's dispense with the formalities shall we?"

"Alright, you started it _Blaise_."

His eyes lit up at her sarcastic remark. "Now that's more like it, _Hermione_." Before she knew it he swooped down and captured her lips. She smiled against his mouth.

"Now who's shutting who up?" she asked.

"I'm not sure." He brushed feather light kisses up her cheek to her ear and whispered, "I'm not a Death Eater. I don't intend to be. Just so you know I'm not planning to attack you at any minute."

"Good to know, why do you hang out with gits like Malfoy then?"

Blaise shrugged. "I've got nothing better to do, plus it's what's expected."

"Well, you're not doing what's expected now are you?" she asked before kissing him lightly.

"No, I'm certainly not." He bent and kissed her again, painfully slowly. He pulled her closer as the kiss deepened. She fisted her hands in his hair.

"What are we doing?" she asked when they came up for air.

"No idea. Chalk it up to hormones?"

"Works for me." She pulled him down again and they picked up right where they left off. They were locked in what could have only been called a heated embrace when a sneering voice made Blaise's hand tighten convulsively in Hermione's hair and at her back.

"Well, well, well, Hermione Granger caught in quite the compromising position, and in some dark corner right in the corridors no less," Draco Malfoy said acidly. "And who's the unfortunate guy caught with the mudblood Gryffind…. Blaise!"

After the word mudblood, Blaise had turned to say something, but Malfoy's reaction had stopped him in his tracks.

"Hello Draco, how was lunch with Pansy?"

"I… you…with… Merlin you…and her…" Draco looked as if he was about to vomit at their feet. "You…just… bloody hell Blaise, she's…" Malfoy couldn't seem to get the words out he was so disgusted. He eventually yelled in frustration and went storming off towards the dungeons.

It was completely silent in Hermione and Blaise's little alcove for a few minutes. However, it wasn't long before they both just couldn't hold it in anymore. Both of them burst into hysterical laughter, leaning against each other to keep from falling.

"Can you believe the look on his face? He looked worse than Ron after the slug incident second year."

"That look will stay with me forever; it'll keep me laughing for years."

When their laughter finally died they sat in comfortable quiet for a bit.

"So, want to continue under the pretense of uncontrollable teenage hormones?" Blaise asked as her absently played with one of Hermione's curls.

"I'm game if you are." He smiled and pulled her closer.

"Just call us the hormone parade."

Hermione's laughter rang out through the halls before it was silenced once again by Blaise capturing her lips in a fiery kiss.

"Hormone parade indeed," she murmured.

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	4. Daring

Author's Note: This will be the last chapter of Speechless. It was fun to write but I think I've gone as far as I can go with it. I was planning on leaving it at three chapters actually, but I have this weird thing with odd numbers… anyway, that's beside the point. Please enjoy the last chapter and Read and Review if you feel so compelled. Again, keep in mind that this story was **conceived** **pre Half Blood Prince.**

Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter character.

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Their relationship continued on like that for weeks. For a while they continued to play the game, but after a while they just went right to the snogging without any ceremony. They were slowly learning about each other, talking when they came up for air mostly. Though they did just talk a few times when they met.

It quickly became apparent to Blaise that all of Slytherin House was aware of their relationship, but for some reason nobody had said anything. Hermione discovered it was for one of two reasons, either they were too ashamed to let the rest of the school know that one of their kind was dating a muggleborn like her, or they simply didn't care as long as they didn't have to hang around Hermione. Blaise didn't care why as long as they all left them alone. On the one hand Hermione was grateful because what she and Blaise had could be kept private, untouched and unobserved; On the other hand, she wished that they could be out in the open and stop hiding it broom closets and deserted classrooms. Blaise felt the same way, but neither of them said anything.

Everything was going rather smoothly, they only had two real problems. Malfoy took every opportunity to criticize Blaise's choice of girls, and did his best to make him drop Hermione; fortunately Blaise wasn't having any of it. Also, Hermione was getting tired of the evil glares she was receiving from the Slytherin girls. They were all angry because Blaise was ridiculously handsome and seemingly off the market because of her. They rose above it though, and tried not to let it bother them too much. They were both happy, and they wouldn't let petty actions change that.

One day Hermione was walking to the library after dinner when Blaise pulled her into a closet. By then she was completely used to it.

"Why hello there," she purred.

"Hi," he responded.

"Did you need anything in particular?" she asked mischievously.

"Just a little bit of you." The way he said it made Hermione's insides turn to liquid. She melted into his arms to be kissed softly, and she was shaken to the core by the tenderness of it. She moved to deepen the kiss but was stopped by the opening of the door. Turning in Blaise's arms, she saw who was at the door and her jaw dropped.

"Harry, I…" She was at a loss for words. Her best friend was regarding her with an odd look on his face.

"Hello Hermione."

"What are you doing here?" she asked nervously.

"I'm doing detention, I need a mop." His calm was making Hermione nervous. He seemed so restrained and so serious. "I don't think I need to ask what you two have been doing."

"Harry…" He held up a hand to stop her.

"I'll just leave you two to it, I just need that mop." Blaise held it out to him silently and Harry took it, turning and shutting the door behind him. Hermione turned and dropped her head to Blaise's shoulder. As it was after Malfoy had found them together, the room went completely silent, but this time there was no laughter. Both of them had been unnerved by Harry's stoicism, and Blaise was afraid this wasn't going to end well. Sensing Hermione's unease and unhappiness, he suggested that they head back to their dorms earlier than they ordinarily would have. Hermione thanked him and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips before leaving him alone in the closet.

All the way back to the common room Hermione tried to think of what she would say to Harry. What could she say to her best friend who she'd been lying to for weeks on end? When she got to the common room Harry was still serving detention, so Hermione sat down in front of the fire to wait for him. After one agonizing hour, Harry walked into the common room. He spotted her instantly and came to sit next to her.

"Hey Harry," she said quietly.

"Hey Mione," he replied, looking into the fire.

"Harry, please don't be angry with me." He turned to look at her then, concern apparent in his emerald eyes.

"I could never be angry with you Mione, not for something like this," he told her.

"Oh Harry really, you're not upset?"

"No I'm not upset." Hermione was so happy that she threw her arms about him and squeezed him hard.

"Oh Harry, I was so afraid you were furious with me. You looked so solemn, plus I thought you might punch Blaise in the face." Harry smiled.

"Mione, I love you, so of course I wanted to punch him in the face. But I let the feeling pass because I know you, and I know that you've a good head on your shoulders. You wouldn't get involved with someone if you didn't know what you were doing."

"Thank you for trusting my judgment, and for resisting the urge to smash Blaise's face in. I was so worried because you looked so restrained."

"I was restrained, don't take this wrong but I was resisting the urge to laugh. I never expected to find you wrapped around anyone in a broom closet," he said with a smile. Hermione had to laugh at that. "So how did all this start?" Hermione let the whole story spill out and when she was finished Harry regarded her, clearly impressed. "Wow, that's quite the story, and you were quite daring."

Hermione blushed a bit. "I know, he makes me feel that way, daring."

"Good. Are you going to tell Ron just yet?"

"I don't know, I think he may actually pulverize Blaise if I do." Harry thought about that for a moment.

"That's very true, knowing Ron. Maybe we should just let him walk in on the two of you like I did."

"Who am I meant to walk in on?" Ron asked.

"Hey Ron," Hermione said. She was forced to nervously recount the whole story. When she finished it was better than she thought. Though he was a little upset that she had been sneaking about in closets with a Slytherin, Ron got right to what seemed to be the point.

"Are you happy?" he asked. Hermione smiled.

"Yes, ridiculously so."

"Then that's all that matters." They talked for a few minutes more before Ron headed up to bed. Harry and Hermione sat in companionable silence for a bit longer. When they decided to go to bed they paused at the split to the dormitories and Harry pulled her into a hug, kissing her forehead.

"Tell him that I'll break him in half if he makes you cry."

Hermione smiled. "I will. I love you Harry."

"I love you too Mione."

Hermione and Blaise didn't see each other for a few days. They both wanted some thinking time. Nearly a week after Harry had found them; they met in an empty classroom. Hermione went to his arms the minute she arrived.

"I missed this," she said as he ran his hand up and down her back lightly.

"I missed it too. Is everything alright?" He felt her nod against his chest.

"Harry threatened to break you in half if you hurt me, but other than that it's fine."

"Duly noted." He looked down into her eyes with a smile. "Hey," he said quietly.

"Hey yourself." She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him softly.

It was then that Blaise noticed the change. When had their interaction changed from hurried and hormone driven to heated and tender? He didn't know and he didn't care, this was working just fine for him. The inherent sweetness of the way Hermione was kissing him struck him and he pulled her tight against him, craving the contact. When they pulled away Hermione looked up into his eyes and took a deep breath before asking the question that had been nagging at her mind.

"Blaise, what are we? I mean, are we dating?"

"Well, I don't think you could really call snogging in a broom closet a date," he said. He was playing with her hair again, wrapping his fingers around individual pieces and tugging at them softly. She knew it was his unconscious favorite thing to do so she tried not to let it distract her too much.

"That's what I thought," she said with a frown. "Do you reckon you'd like to give it a try, really dating?"

Blaise couldn't help the smile that appeared. She was nervous, and it was her nervous rambling that had started them on this strange journey in the first place. "I think that's a brilliant idea."

"Oh thank Merlin, I would've felt like and idiot if you'd have said no. Should we make a date for next week's Hogsmeade visit then?" she asked.

"No, I don't think so."

Hermione was looking confused. "Okay, but I thought…" Blaise placed a finger on her lips to quiet her.

"I don't think I'd like to wait until next week. Why don't I walk you to dinner?"

Hermione looked up at him in amazement, searching in those dark blue eyes for any sign of joking. He was deadly serious. She let out a yelp of surprise and jumped into Blaise's arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and kissing him hard and long.

"Thank you," she said, resting her forehead on his.

He smiled. "Well, if I knew I'd get that kind of reaction I'd have offered to walk you to dinner ages ago," he said cheekily. She slapped at him playfully and allowed herself to drop back to the floor. Blaise reached for her hand and entwined their fingers, bringing their clasped hands up to kiss hers softly. "Let's go."

They set off through to halls and were greeted with many curious stares. They kept on chatting as if nothing were out of the ordinary. To them it was as if they had been walking down the halls together forever. When they arrived in the Great Hall they stopped just inside the door and Hermione pulled away, ready to head for her table. She didn't want to cause a scene for Blaise. He apparently had other ideas. He pulled her back against him and anchored her there with one hand on her hip and the other on her cheek. Then he bent and kissed her.

Hermione heard the surprised gasps all around her somewhere in the back of her mind, but she didn't care. Blaise's kiss sent a spear of heat shooting through her body, and she kissed him back fiercely. They pulled away from each other to applause and catcalls from the students and disapproving looks from the teachers, accepting Dumbledore whose eyes were twinkling merrily. Blaise kissed her sweetly once more before they parted ways to go to their separate tables. As she walked to the Gryffindor table Hermione noticed that the looks from the Slytherins had turned into open hostility, and they were coming from girls from other houses as well. She didn't care, she was giddy. As she sat down at the table Ginny grinned at her.

"Wow Hermione that was some kiss. I think I'm almost jealous." She elbowed Harry in the ribs. "How come you never kiss me like that?"

Harry turned to her with a smile and a glint in his bright green eyes. "Tell you what, we'll find a closet and work on it. That seemed to work for Hermione and Blaise."

Ginny laughed but fake pouted. "But I want one now," she said sweetly. Harry laughed and pulled her to him, giving her a searing kiss that sent the Gryffindor table into an uproar.

"Couldn't let you have all the glory now could I?" he asked when he and Ginny pulled apart.

"I never needed to see that," said Ron.

"I don't know, I thought it was kind of impressive," said a voice from behind them. Hermione turned with a smile.

"Blaise! What are you doing over here?"

Blaise shrugged. "Between resisting the urge to punch Draco in the face because of his little comments and fighting off every desperate Slyhtherin female trying to get me to dump you and run off with them, I found it hard to eat my dinner in peace .I was hoping you all wouldn't mind if I sat with you."

"Of course I don't," Hermione said. She looked at her friends for their reactions. Everyone seemed okay with it so Blaise took a seat next to Hermione, slinging his arm around her waist and eating one handed.

"So, how did you two end up together?" Seamus asked.

"Yeah, I'm curious about that myself," Dean added.

Blaise grinned. "She couldn't resist my inherent charms," he told them. All the boys laughed, but Hermione set them silent quickly.

"Oh yeah, who kissed who first Mr. Charming?" she asked. The boys and the girls both laughed this time and Blaise winced.

"Women, she'll never let me forget that, not until the day I die," he said to Dean and Seamus. "It's just that she's so damn irresistible when she's rambling."

Hermione listened while Blaise told the whole story to her friends. Granted he glazed over some of the finer points but she didn't mind. She didn't want them to have ammo against her for the rest of her natural life. As Blaise finished the story she found a good deal of the table staring at her in amazement.

"Gee Hermione, I never thought you would have it in you," said Neville.

"Neither did I," she told him. "I think I just needed to be that daring to keep up."

"You're holding your own just fine," Blaise said appreciatively.

"Thank you," she said, kissing his cheek appreciatively.

"You two are so cute it's almost disgusting," Harry told them. Blaise and Hermione looked at each other with twin smirks on their faces. This could be fun.

"Did you here that snookums, we're cute!" Hermione squealed.

"I heard honey bear, it's only because you're just so adorable," Blaise squeaked out. Everyone laughed at their obvious joke.

"Okay, Okay, I won't say it again, please just stop talking like that," Harry pleaded.

"Deal," Hermione said.

When they had all finished their dinner Hermione made her excuses and she and Blaise left the Great Hall quickly.

"Where exactly are we going?" he asked her.

Hermione didn't stop walking as she responded. "Well, as nice as it is to be able to be together in public, all that attention was getting a little overwhelming. So, I decided I wanted some privacy." She stopped in front of the door to an empty classroom. "And I wanted to be snogged absolutely senseless. Any complaints?"

Blaise shook his head and caught her around the waist. "You won't hear even a hint of complaint out of me." He kissed her firmly as he backed her into the classroom. He dropped light kisses on her cheeks, her forehead, and the tip of her nose. His lips traveled her neck and up to her ear where he whispered. "I just have one question for you."

" Hmm?" Hermione asked, her eyes closed and her head back slightly, asking silently for him to return his attention to her neck. He pressed a soft kiss against her pulse point then trailed back up to her ear, nipping at it softly before answering.

"Nervous?" Hermione's heady laughter rang out through the halls as Blaise shut the door behind them.

FINIS

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This is the end of speechless. I hope you enjoyed. For fans of the red-headed third of the Golden Trio, I apologize for his lack of dialogue, but if you've read my other work you know I have slight issues with Ron. These feelings are only magnified by the fact that I just finished re-reading Goblet of Fire, and whenever I read that book I feel like throwing Ron off of a very tall building because of his behavior up until the end of the first task. So sorry, but I hope you enjoyed the last chapter. Thanks for reading!


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